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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: straw · stand · coach · net · ruler · toast · wave · present

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. net — in sport
  5. net — for catching
  6. net — after costs
  7. toast — bread
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. stand — to bear
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. present — a gift
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. present — there
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com